Shadows in Pieces
by Lippyyy
Summary: Ursa is banished from the fire kingdom, her children ripped away. She is now in the country of amestris where she meets Hohenheim.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, this is my first FMA and ATLA fanfic so please I apologise if anything is incorrect, also I apologise for any MS words you may come across. Another thing I'm sure we are all aware of; I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE ANIMES IN ANYWAY! k, just wanted to let EVERYONE know I'm not the creator..**

 **now, just so everyone is on the same page as me when it come to my fanfic; This is obviously a crossover between FMA and ATLA. Ursa (Zuko's mother) is banished and ends up in Amestris where she meets Hohenheim. Anyway, as I've mentioned above, this is my fist fanfic, please let me know if I F-up! Thank you! Xoxo~**

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Days had become long, long and almost to hard to live through each one. It was lonely..to lonely. Ursa missed the sound of laughter, the sound of children playing in the yard, her children. For her precious child: Zuko, she had stood before her husband, the fire lord and demanded that she be put in his place, that she be rid of.

Her son so young and innocent had always had a big heart and was very courageous.

Ozai, had never been a proud man; he instead belittled his son and had the nerve to rid him due to his own disrespect towards his father and older brother.

She would never let anyone hurt her son..and so she took her sons place.

And here she was three months later sitting in a small run down shack in a foreign country so unlike her own, she had been banished, from not only her kingdom but from her children.

her green eyes stared out the open window allowing the warm spring breeze to come through.

Her long brown hair laid in a lose ponytail that laid over her right shoulder. She stared at the white and pink flowers growing in the yard, in her mind she saw them. Her two children..Zuko running though the green grass picking at the flowers to bring to his mother and Azula tearing the flowers apart with laughter.

Her eyes watered and before she could push it back she found herself sobbing into her hands.

It went on like that for days. She couldn't keep herself together.

On her best days she would find the little bit of energy and journey to the lively town to gather food with the small amount of money she came across.

This day was different from the rest.

Like any normal day she went out for a walk, to try and rid her mind of the grief.

She came across a tree, the tree wasn't what got her attention; it was the man who sat under it with a bottle of what she assumed was liquor.

Making her way over she bent low to get a better look. The man had long lose blond hair that hung over his face. Drool had escaped from the corner of his lip to travel down his chin. Smiling she reached forward, her small hand making contact with his broad shoulder. "Sir, are you alright?"

Gold eyes peeked open behind the blonde hair. "Ah, an angel..I must have passed on.."

Ursa felt her face heat up. "Uh, no..I thought I'd wake you up before you caught a cold..do you need help getting home?"

The man smiled and let his eyes slide back shut. "No, I don't have a home."

Ursa felt her heart skip a beat. She watched the man's face for a moment longer before standing to her full height and reaching out to him. "Then come stay the night at my place. It's getting chilly..I'll make you something warm to eat."

Gold eyes opened to stare into Ursa's. "you're to kind..that can get you into trouble."

Ursa let a small smile come across her face, "I'll be fine. I have no worry of my life. Please come." That seemed to get his attention, as his attitude became more serious. "You shouldn't say such things. But I'll take your offer. Thank you."

He took her hand and she helped him up. He stood over her small figure, she smiled up at him before turning away and beginning to walk back to her shack. "Please follow, and careful it looks like you're a bit wobbly on your feet."

He let out a laugh at her words of concern as they made there way back down the path away from the tree he had been under for god knows how long.

He stopped short when they came upon the shack she had been calling home for the last three months. "Hmm, nice place you have." He mumbled his eyes narrowed. "But, not a place I'd think of such a young beautiful woman living in.."

Ursa pushed the hair out of her face as she turned to face the blonde man. "It's better then the tree." He smiled with a nod. "I suppose it is,"

She turned back and moved forward. "Care to join me for dinner?"

"I am quite hungry. Thank you~.."

"Ursa." She replied over her shoulder just as she stepped into the cold, empty shack..the thought of her children coming back to her guilty mind. She had to fight back the burning in her eyes.

"I go by Van Hohenheim." He said as he shut the wooden door behind him, his eyes scanning the to empty house, he didn't mention it and that she was thankful for.

Heating up the stew she had made just the night before, she filled two bowls and placed them on the table before gesturing for Hohenheim to sit.

"Looks delicious." He smiled taking his seat and digging in. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Thank you Mr. Hohenheim. I hope it's as good as it looks."

"No need for the Mr. Just Van or Hohenheim; what ever you choose is fine."

She too took her seat and begun slowly on her meal while watching the man before her with curious eyes. He looked so different then the people of her country. His blonde hair, and those golden eyes..it was uncommon for a place she came from. But the difference reminded her of her place now. She was no longer apart of that world, she was no longer the fire lords wife. And in a weird way, she felt a heavy weight lift from her shoulders, she felt free, and she's never felt so guilty in her life.

With a soft sigh she placed down her spoon and let her head drop. The tears she was trying so hard to fight came rushing like a stream down her face.

Hohenheim glanced up at her from behind his bangs. Frowning, he too placed his spoon down and reached out his hand grabbing ahold of her small one. Gasping she looked up with red glossy eyes that told a sad story.

It made Hohenheim's heart ache for the woman.

Her eyes traveled down to there hands. His hand was so much bigger then her own, it felt so warm and comforting.

Her eyes once again met his. "I'm sorry." She let out an unamused chuckle as more tears ran down her cheeks. "Just haven't had company in a long time."

He could tell it was the truth and a lie. He could hear that sadness in her voice and see it in the way she cries.

"Where is your family?" He decided to ask, if she didn't want to speak of them then he'd understand, but he knew the feeling of needed someone to talk to. He had his good friend pinako, who was practically his family. The only one he knew he could trust with his life.

Ursa pulled her hand away and wiped away her tears. Letting out a shaky breath she met Hohenheim's eyes again, and what she saw there was trust..she had only just met this man and yet she couldn't help but want to share her whole life story with him..

Maybe it was just the fact of how lonely she was, and depressed. She didn't know, but it couldn't hurt to share a bit of her burden and guilt.

"Another county, far from here." She finally found herself saying. "I have two beautiful children and..well, I use to have a husband." She paused, letting her eyes fall to her hands that rested atop the table. "A very cruel man.."

"Why are your children not with you?"

She bit into her trembling lip. And Hohenheim immediately wished he didn't ask such a personal question. He wasn't quite good with crying women..he never knew what to do or how to comfort them.

"It was banishment. The reason I'm so far from home, punishment and with that came banishment from my own children..I only pray they are doing okay." She cried.

"I wasn't aware that county's still did that..banishment." He said looking deep in thought.

Hohenheim had been around for many years, more years then a normal human could ever dream of living, and with that knowledge of his years, he only knew of one far away place that may still be in the time of banishment. A country he hadn't been to for a very long time.

"You must be from the Four nations..country of elements..correct?" He asked, looking up at her teary face. She only nodded in response.

"I see. The fire nation then?"

Her eyes widen just a little, "Y-yes..how did-"

"Let's just say I had spent a fair time amongst the four nations, and I can only see the fire nation doing such a thing."

Sighing she wiped away her remaining tears. "Yes, your correct. The fire nation isn't the best place to be. It can be a hateful and tragic place. And my husband Ozai has proven just that amongst his own wife and children."

"How old?" He questioned resting his hand atop hers once again which made her look up and smile at him. Zuko, my oldest is ten, his birthday is coming up. Azula is nine."

"Ah, so very young children..how terrible to take away their mother."

"Yes, its very unsettling."

Though the night there convention continued, they shared stories of there lives and in that one night became very close.

Hohenheim would even say he felt a stronger connection to Usra then he'd ever felt with his best friend pinako.

That night was the beginning of there love and long life together.

Days once sad had brightened for both of them, For the first time Hohenheim actually felt alive, he felt he belonged somewhere, was needed. Ursa had never been so in love.. she had never felt so happy and free, she begun to trust Hohenheim with her very life.

"I want to change my name." Usra said while her and Hohenheim sat side by side in the train that was on its way to Resembool; a small town in the far country. She's never been in a country away from the city life.

But Hohenheim mentioned a friend he knew who lived there and that he'd even built a beautiful house so he had a place of his own when he visited this friend of his.

"Why your name?" The man she loved asked. She took his hand in hers holding it tight.

"The name I bare is a name I'd rather leave in the past..I want to start my life over.." she looked at him, their eyes meeting. "Start it over with you."

"If that's what you want..then we will."

She smiled. "I'd love to have your last name."

He tensed his eyes suddenly looking far away. "Hohenheim? Dare are you okay?"

He shook his head. "Not my name.."

frowning she lifted her hand pushing his blonde bangs away from his eyes. "It's a beautiful name.."

"It's not." He replied flatly. "It's a name given to me by evilness. Such a name isn't for you..you deserve a pure name, that has no story of darkness behind its meaning."

"You shouldn't speak that way.."

It's true..please Usra, we will change your name but just not to mine."

She looked down at there hands. "If you wish dear."

"Thank you." He smiled.

They reached Resembool a half hour later, Ursa fell in love with there new house. It was far better then the shack. After a few days of getting to know her new home, she met a friend of Hohenheim's while he was out in the town getting food.

A small woman with gray hair that was in a pointy ponytail and a pipe in her mouth. She was older then she thought she'd be. Much older then her Hohenheim. "Hello dear, I'm Pinako." She said reaching her hand out. Ursa took it with a soft smile. "It's great to finally meet you. Hohenheim has mentioned you a lot."

"Good things I hope." Pinako laughed.

"Yes of course." Ursa smiled before gesturing to herself. "I'm Ursa. Please come in I'll make us some tea."

"That sounds nice." Pinako said as she stepped in, Ursa shut the door and made her way to the kitchen where she begun to boil water. Pinako sat at the table.

"How did you meet Hohenheim?" She asked.

Ursa couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Under a tree, drunk."

"Sounds like him." She laughed. "I've talked to him a few times over the phone, and I have to say..he's never sounded happier.."

Ursa placed two cups on the table before she took a seat beside Pinako. "I hope he is.i know I am."

Her and Pinako talked for what seemed like hours before Hohenheim came back. The night went on with memories and laughter.

Months passed and the time came for Ursa to finally change her name.

"How does Trisha sound?" It was so different then her current name, she had to have it as her own. "Hmm, i like it. It fits you." Hohenheim agreed.

She smiled.

"I was thinking Elric..for your last?" Hohenheim mumbled and the smile on Ursa's face couldn't possibly get any wider, "I love it Hohenheim!" She felt like she could fly. "Trisha Elric.." she tried it out and couldn't hold the chuckle.

It took time to get used to her new name, but it was like everything that weighed her down was finally lifted.

Years passed, and the time came where she was pregnant.

The guilt came back after she had her child, her third. "Edward.." she said with tears of happiness as she looked down at the newborn baby, who looked so much like his father. "Elric." Hohenheim said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

A year later she had her next child, Alphonse Elric.

And the guilt stayed. She watched both boys grow and she couldn't help but wonder of her two older children. Her Zuko and Azula.

"Trisha, I'm going." Hohenheim said one day, after fixing the swing for his boys. "Please wait for me."

Trisha knew of his pain, she was told the background of his life before she ever got pregnant with her two sons. He could never grow old with them, he would live on when they have passed. She figured whatever he was leaving for, must me important. She'd give him that time, to find whatever he needed out. As long as he's happy.

"Okay." She replied with a smile of trust and understanding.

Two days later she helped him pack.

"Don't tell the kids about my body." He said as she helped him put on his brown coat.

"Sure.." she paused. "Don't you want to say goodbye to them?"

He left the bedroom with her on his heels carrying his suitcase in both hands.

"If I see their faces, I'll-"

She smiled. "You blockhead, it's okay if you cry."

He didn't answer as he went to the door, turning to face her taking the suitcase from her small hands. He opened his mouth to say goodbye when his eyes caught on to what stood feet behind her.

His kids.

Edward and Alphonse.

A small gasp left his lips, which made Trisha turn to see what he'd been looking at.

"H-hey. Why are you two up so early?" She questioned as she moved away from Hohenheim to kneel down beside her two children.

"Al said he needs to go pee." Ed answered before looking back at his father who was trying hard to hold back his tears. "Oh, so you where looking after Al." She smiled as she patted Ed's head. "Thank you, Ed."

Trisha moved to the side as she noticed her young boys silence and saw that both where staring up at there father. She turned to look up him as well.

He fought hard to not break right then and there, with his children staring up at him with such innocent eyes, his hand clenched around his suitcase and his eyes narrowed on his family. He had to do this, for them..

He turned away and left, closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

_Alchemy, the science of understanding the structure of matter, breaking it down, then reconstructing it into something else. It can even make gold from lead. But Alchemy is a science. So it must follow the natural laws. To create, something of equal value must be lost. This is the principle of Equivalent Exchange. But on that night, I learned that the values of some things can't be measured on a simple scale._

 _"Al... AL, NO! STAY WITH ME! DAMN IT!" Ed screamed out as his brother was gone, only leaving a pile of clothes he had been wearing just seconds ago. "This wasn't suppose to... No! What have I done!?" Hearing a groan he turned away from where his brother disappeared from, to look where they had begun the transmutation. "Mom? Is that you?" But it wasn't his mother..it wasn't the beautiful woman he'd once known, instead a corpse of black laid in her place, a monster of his wort nightmares. Reaching out to him, trying to move closer to his crumbled body._

 _He screamed. Terrified and confused._

 _My brother and I knew the laws of science, of Equivalent Exchange. The gain required sacrifice, that something had to be taken from us. But we thought there was nothing more we could lose. We were wrong._

 _Edward crawled his way over to the armour knocking it over, the helmet failing away to skid across the floor. He moved to the open hole, his bloodied fingers shakily moving across the inside of the armour making a transmutation circle._

 _"Give him back! He's my brother!" He squeezed his bleeding stump. "Take my leg, take my arm, take my heart! ANYTHING! YOU CAN HAVE IT! Just give him back! HE'S MY LITTLE BROTHER, HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!" Ed cried out._

 _His hands slam together and the circle glows a bright blue._

 _His arm is taken, and his brothers soul is placed to the armor of the transmutation his brother placed in his blood._

* * *

"Brother.." Alphonse mumbled over the book he'd been reading for the last few hours.

Edward hummed as he turned the page. "Brother, you should get something to eat. I'm sure you're hungry."

Edward only shrugged, as he again turned the page. "Finding the stone is more important right now, my hunger should be the least of your worries Al."

The door to the library opened, a man in blue uniform walking in. He stood before Ed and Al throwing his hand up in salute. "Sir, Colonel Mustang would like to see you."

Edward narrowed his eyes, "That damn bastard! He knows we're researching the philosopher's stone! It's just like him to interrupt us, just to give me some lame ass assignment that he's to damn lazy to do himself!"

"Brother, calm down. I'm sure it's nothing like that."

Ed let out an unamused laugh, "Come on Al, don't go standing up for the bastard. Watch you'll see. He's only in it for himself, he doesn't care to give us the time we need to accurately be able to research the stone like we need to."

Ed stood, slamming the book closed and handing it over to Alphonse. "Here, take this and any other book you find worth looking through. I'm gonna head up to his office by myself, I'll be back soon."

"Sure, okay." Al nodded, as he stood and gathered a handful of books.

Ed pulled his red coat from off the back of his chair and threw it on before moving towards the door, obviously pissed off.

He marched down the hall, coming up to Mustangs office and slamming the door open.

"Oh, hey boss." Havoc called from behind his desk. Ed gave him a nod as he went forward and used his automail foot to kick open Mustang's main door.

Mustang with his stupid smirk looked up catching Ed's eyes. "Fullmetal." He greeted.

"Shove it Mustang, me and Al was looking into something important when one of your men came in asking for me!"

"Oh Ed, come now, no need to be so short tempered."

"Don't call me short!" Edward yelled out kicking at the man's desk.

As fun as it was to tease Ed, Roy decided it was time to get to business. He pulled a folder from his desk and let it drop from his hands and in front of Ed. The boy narrowed his eyes as he stepped forward grabbing up the folder and opening it. "So, it is some stupid assignment." Ed growled out as he saw he was to travel, again.

Roy pulled out two train tickets from his desk and slapped them amongst the table. "This isn't the same Fullmetal." Roy said as he crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "This isn't like our country."

"Wait a minute!" He looked back up glaring hatefully at Roy. "I'm going to another fucking country! What the hell for!?"

"Language." Roy smirked.

"Damn Bastard! This is crap! I have more important things to do then go on some stupid lame ass assignment! I have to get Al back into his original body and you're holding me back damn it!"

Roy let out a heavy sigh. "Ed come on, you should know I'd never send you out that far.."

"So it's someone higher up then you?"

"Yeah, Fuhrer Bradley.." Roy replies.

Ed's eyes go back to the folder. "The hell he wants me to go to another country for?"

His eyes scan over the assignment for the first time. And he can't believe it, "the four nations?"

Roy humms with a nod. He's already went over Ed's assignment. "Says he wants you to try and learn their ways, to learn how they are able to control the elements."

Edward's read little of the four nations when he was younger, it was a book he came across in Hohenheim's study, but he'd never imagine going there, unless it involved the stone.

"Someone else can't go? Why me?" Ed whines.

"Fuhrer's orders."

"Whatever, I need to get back to Al." Ed turns, the folder under his arm as he walks to the door.

"Oh, Fullmetal, you are to leave today..in.." he pulls out his pocket watch flipping it open. "Half an hour. Don't go missing your train."

"The hell Mustang!?" Ed snapped around to glare at the man. "It didn't say so in the assignment!"

"Fuhrer's orders, also I need you back as soon as possible. Don't want you out having to much fun. It's better if you leave now then waiting a couple days."

"Damn bastard!" Ed sneered as he turned back to the door opening and slamming it as hard as he could behind him.

Mustang groaned, his fingers massaging his temples as he felt a headache coming on.


End file.
